Smiffy's July Vet appointment

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Diana&Tom said:
Looby, what you have to remember is that every cat is different. Some eat and drink in the hot weather much the same as they do when it's cooler. Some may not. Smiffy's numbers may be higher this week for all sorts of reasons. There's not necessarily anything else going on. Elizabeth mentioned that as a possibility over on Facebook simply to alert you to the possibility (duplicate word intended for emphasis). If you post on different sites you are bound to get some similar responses and some different ones, covering many different scenarios, some of which may be relevant to you and some not.

Basically, you know your own cat so let your own observation of her behaviour be your guide. You could ask 100 cat-owners how their cat behaves in hot weather and get almost as many different answers. Your vet has told you not to worry - so don't!

Diana
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OK ....... my instincts tell me that she is OK ... thanks for the reassurance ..... I am extra vigilant at the moment as the weather is so hot so scrutinizing everthing ........ I think sheis one of those cats that IS affected by the heat and she is so inactive ... she really doesn't need much fuel!
 
Looby, usually my girl will be practically screaming at me for food when her numbers are up. She also does this when she is low. The only way I know what's up is to test her. To make this even more frustrating, she was high last night but didn't come screaming for food. Not only is every cat different but every day is different so your observations and testing are the best tools for determining how Smiffy is doing and if a vet visit is needed. You know Smiffy better than anyone else including your vet so go with your gut and use what others say as food for thought rather than absolutes.
When I said Smiffy could be compensating with higher numbers, I meant "bouncing" because if kitty gets to numbers lower than their body has become accustomed to, their defensive systems click into action and raise glucose levels to get things back to where it perceives they should be. This is probably the most maddening and frustrating part of dealing with diabetes. Once a cat gets more accustomed to lower numbers the bouncing usually stops but some cats are a lot bouncier than others. It was just food for thought because we don't know how low she might have gone for the past few nights.
 
Not on these syringes - the Caninsulin brand syringes are whole unit markings and less easy to eyeball for small doses. These syringes are marked with numbers at 5,10,15 and 20 units with a large line and another large line in between the numbers at the 2.5 mark, the small lines are 0.5 units each. If you look at the picture on the link and magnify it you should see what I mean.
 
@Alexi - Thanks. Good to know. Just wanted to check because I've never seen a syringe marked that way but then I've only seen the u40 syringes without the 0.5u markings. I can't see anything on the picture. It's blurry on my computer (different resolution I guess):(
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Looby, usually my girl will be practically screaming at me for food when her numbers are up. She also does this when she is low. The only way I know what's up is to test her. To make this even more frustrating, she was high last night but didn't come screaming for food. Not only is every cat different but every day is different so your observations and testing are the best tools for determining how Smiffy is doing and if a vet visit is needed. You know Smiffy better than anyone else including your vet so go with your gut and use what others say as food for thought rather than absolutes.
When I said Smiffy could be compensating with higher numbers, I meant "bouncing" because if kitty gets to numbers lower than their body has become accustomed to, their defensive systems click into action and raise glucose levels to get things back to where it perceives they should be. This is probably the most maddening and frustrating part of dealing with diabetes. Once a cat gets more accustomed to lower numbers the bouncing usually stops but some cats are a lot bouncier than others. It was just food for thought because we don't know how low she might have gone for the past few nights.
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That all makes sense and well put ...... I knew what bouncing was but I hadn't thought that when she was having her low number stint that her body would react to such an extent that her numbers have been higher since - thought it only occurred on a one off sort of situation on any given day not as a trend - so her liver could have been bouncing away for the last week? ... interesting ...

well just about to start the sugar dance tonight so we will see - hope she wants to eat ....... preshot 14.8 .....she's eating thank goodness but is not happy with me getting her in from outside - now I have to decided whether to give her one or one and half units ..... depends how much she eats with Caninsulin ......... I know she will come back to the food later - had to put the food in the bathroom downstairs this is as she is distracted that Pasha is still ou in the garden .... nope she is not eating much ......... I don't know if it is because she doesn't want me to give her a shot of if she is just not wanting to eat ...... in the litte tray now .... going to be one unit - one and a half is going to be too much .... best to keep it regular until I can get some +3 numbers .... I am soooo hot! Nope not interested .... put the bowl back in the bathroom next to her and now she is eating ..... patience ...... not really interested until Pasah comes back in so I will just have to shoot her and hope she comes back for some food in a sec ...... just one unit ... the silly thing is she hardly notices me giving her a shot ....

she won't eat anymore until Pasha is in ... Smiffy gets jealous so if she sees Pasha eats, she will eat ... fingers crossed she eats more in a bit .... such a run around!
 
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@Alexi @MrWorfMen's Mom Just did a +3 this evening and even though Smiffy didn't eat much she is still 14 ....... her preshot was 14.8 ....... I just gave her one unit ... tomorrow if she is the same numbers I think I will try one and a half units ... what do you thinK?

I find it difficult to beiieve that she has been bouncing for over a week now?
 
Diana&Tom said:
Looby, what you have to remember is that every cat is different. Some eat and drink in the hot weather much the same as they do when it's cooler. Some may not. Smiffy's numbers may be higher this week for all sorts of reasons. There's not necessarily anything else going on. Elizabeth mentioned that as a possibility over on Facebook simply to alert you to the possibility (duplicate word intended for emphasis). If you post on different sites you are bound to get some similar responses and some different ones, covering many different scenarios, some of which may be relevant to you and some not.

Basically, you know your own cat so let your own observation of her behaviour be your guide. You could ask 100 cat-owners how their cat behaves in hot weather and get almost as many different answers. Your vet has told you not to worry - so don't!

Diana
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I post here and on Facebook so that I get as many responses as I can .... I make sure not to quote anybody but just to pass on other opinions - I am not damning those opinions I promise ....... hope it didn't come across in any other way (: Her preshot this evening was 14.8 and +3 was 14 which should be around about her Nadir .... I gave her just one unit even though she didn't eat very much so tomorrow I may consider giving her one and a half units as I was doing just over a week ago which is when she started to have her lowre numbers throughout the day ......

It has been suggested here as you can see by @MrWorfMen's Mom that she might have found those low numbers a bit strange to deal with after so long of having higher numbers and has been bouncing ever since which I didn't realise was possible for such a long time ...... this is something we hadn't considered on FB @Elizabeth and Bertie?

See if I can do the same thing tomorrow night .... fortunately she stayed downstairs tonight for me to test easily (we are open plan in our tiny upstairs so if I turn on a light I disturb DH!) ......
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
@Alexi - Thanks. Good to know. Just wanted to check because I've never seen a syringe marked that way but then I've only seen the u40 syringes without the 0.5u markings. I can't see anything on the picture. It's blurry on my computer (different resolution I guess):(
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I don't understand the 'lingo' you are using re the syringes ...... could one of you give me a link on Amazon UK for me to buy the right syringes .. the other link is for a different site .... I can get free delivery from Amazon :) .... If not I will get them from the site you suggest ... thanks (:
 
Looby, use the link Alexi gave you and get those syringes. I'm sure Alexi will help you understand them if you decide to use them with Smiffy . For now the fruit you choose to try them with doesn't care about dose. I'm in Canada so what is available here and in the UK can be two totally different animals. Sorry if I caused confusion! Certainly wasn't my intention! :(

If Smiffy is up again tomorrow and you want to try the 1.5u, go ahead but I would wait until the evening cycle when you can get a test in at +3. I wouldn't increase a dose unless I knew I could get a test or two in if need be.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Looby, use the link Alexi gave you and get those syringes. I'm sure Alexi will help you understand them if you decide to use them with Smiffy . For now the fruit you choose to try them with doesn't care about dose. I'm in Canada so what is available here and in the UK can be two totally different animals. Sorry if I caused confusion! Certainly wasn't my intention! :(

If Smiffy is up again tomorrow and you want to try the 1.5u, go ahead but I would wait until the evening cycle when you can get a test in at +3. I wouldn't increase a dose unless I knew I could get a test or two in if need be.
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Yes I meant the evening shot .... it was never the plan to give her a morning shot of one and a half units ..... Her Vet and I increased her dose just over a week ago and agreed to up it to one and a half in the evenings only as I can keep an eye on her then and test her ....it was shortly after that she started to ge her low numbers so let's hope we can repeat that and she doesn't start bouncing again as you suggest she might have done last time ....
 
@Alexi ~ Thanks for that info about the VetUK U40 syringes.
I've emailed VetUK twice asking if their syringes have half unit markings, but on each occasion was told that they didn't! But in the picture (blurry on my screen too) it looked like they might have... Thanks for the clarification. :)
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Alexi said:
They definitely do @Elizabeth and Bertie, they are 0.5ml syringes rather than the 0.3ml caninsulin brand but clearly marked as U40, and a lot cheaper as well. I am finding them of good quality so far as well.
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How would I use them from the Caninnuslin cartridge? Once the cartridge is removed I can't put it back I don't think ...... I have bookmarked your link for future reference ...Smiffy's numbers are a tad lower today so I am gong to stick with what I have got and know for the time being if it is going to work ..... it's a step too far too soon for us just at the moment ...... if I can make things work with the pen as it is then I will stick with it ... have a look at her numbers last night and today (:
 
The reason we are suggesting maybe trying syringes is because she is a low dose cat and you may need to change doses by less than o.5 unit at a time but for now she does have nice numbers on the one unit. With the pen I think it is only in 0.5 unit increments. Caninsulin vials are quite cheap - I think I pay about £13 from my vet and would be an option if you are needing to change by smaller doses than 0.5 units and they keep well in the fridge. I think the end nearest to the needle is where the rubber stopper is on a pen cartridge but I don't have a picture to check.
 
Looby & Smiify said:
How would I use them from the Caninnuslin cartridge? Once the cartridge is removed I can't put it back I don't think ...... I have bookmarked your link for future reference ...Smiffy's numbers are a tad lower today so I am gong to stick with what I have got and know for the time being if it is going to work ..... it's a step too far too soon for us just at the moment ...... if I can make things work with the pen as it is then I will stick with it ... have a look at her numbers last night and today :)
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Alexi said:
The reason we are suggesting maybe trying syringes is because she is a low dose cat and you may need to change doses by less than o.5 unit at a time but for now she does have nice numbers on the one unit. With the pen I think it is only in 0.5 unit increments. Caninsulin vials are quite cheap - I think I pay about £13 from my vet and would be an option if you are needing to change by smaller doses than 0.5 units and they keep well in the fridge. I think the end nearest to the needle is where the rubber stopper is on a pen cartridge but I don't have a picture to check.
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Yes I understand that with syringes you can get smaller doses ...... so I could have a file in the fridge for use with syringes and also have the pen to use ... that's a good idea ..... I will order the syringes and have a play first ..... it is so hot here at the moment ...... 32 degrees and very very humid .... I can't think ..... Smiffy is still in the 13s andn 14s and 15s at the moment so won't need to use the syringes yet ... will order them ....
 
Alexi said:
They definitely do @Elizabeth and Bertie, they are 0.5ml syringes rather than the 0.3ml caninsulin brand but clearly marked as U40, and a lot cheaper as well. I am finding them of good quality so far as well.
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I have just ordered the syringes ...... they say they are 0.5 syringes ... missed or can't find the post her that clarified that you can get 0.25 from the syringe?
 
Yes - each little line on the syringe is 0.5 units so you get the end of the plunger half way between the lines and that is 0.25 unit increments. What I would suggest is getting some cold tea or something so you can see the liquid in the syringe and have a go at measuring out different doses until you are confident in what you are measuring. It is a bit fiddly at first.
 
Alexi said:
Yes - each little line on the syringe is 0.5 units so you get the end of the plunger half way between the lines and that is 0.25 unit increments. What I would suggest is getting some cold tea or something so you can see the liquid in the syringe and have a go at measuring out different doses until you are confident in what you are measuring. It is a bit fiddly at first.
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What do you do with the syringes once you have finished with them? My sharps box is not that big?
 
Looby & Smiify said:
What do you do with the syringes once you have finished with them? My sharps box is not that big?
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I put them in an old jar and every time I go to the vet to collect insulin I empty it into the box where I dispose of lancets and take the box to the vet and they empty the lot into their sharps box.
 
Gave Smiffy a furr shot last night so now I am trying not to beat myself up because she is preshot 17 this morning ..... got disturbed by DH last night .... daren't try to shoot again ....
 
Have posted about Smiffy's numbers this morning @Alexi and @MrWorfMen's Mom @Elizabeth and Bertie ....... done with syringes just for now .. have enough information to be getting along with until my order arrives ... when they arrive I might start another thread for other people's benefit as well as mine (:

She is preshot 17 this morning as I gave her a furr shot last night so trying not to beat myself up about her high number this morning - just as they were beginning to come down again!
 
Looby & Smiify said:
you read too much into my remark @Elizabeth and Bertie :)
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Um... Just for the record Looby, YOU asked a specific question about syringe disposal, and then straight afterwards posted saying that the issue of syringes was dealt with, and 'could we go back to Smiffy'... That meant that two of us took the time to answer your question, not realising that you'd changed your mind and didn't actually want the information... Just saying..... ;)

Edited to add:
And regarding the brief discussion of U40 syringes above, this is actually important information. As Larry pointed out, U40 syringes don't generally have half-unit markings. But Alexi found some that do have half-unit markings. This could make things a lot easier for UK folks who have cats on Caninsulin. Your thread has enabled that information to come to light.
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Elizabeth and Bertie said:
Um... Just for the record Looby, YOU asked a specific question about syringe disposal, and then straight afterwards posted saying that the issue of syringes was dealt with, and 'could we go back to Smiffy'... That meant that two of us took the time to answer your question, not realising that you'd changed your mind and didn't actually want the information... Just saying..... ;)

Edited to add:
And regarding the brief discussion of U40 syringes above, this is actually important information. As Larry pointed out, U40 syringes don't generally have half-unit markings. But Alexi found some that do have half-unit markings. This could make things a lot easier for UK folks who have cats on Caninsulin. Your thread has enabled that information to come to light.
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OK Elizabeth - my mistake ....... please don't have a go at me - I am too hot and too stressed ..... I made an iddle widdle mistake it seems that is of really no real consequence and answered your remark but you want to have the last word! Please this is not necessary ..... I'm stilll having problems with the flow of this site ...... I thought I the three of us Alexi, Linda and I who instigated the discussion had finished talking about it and wanted to get back to Smiffy as this is a worrying time for with her ...... rising numbers and heat .... please forgive me for thinking we had dealt with the issue .... the last post about the needles was last night some time when I was exhausted with the heat ....... I truely appreciate all the help I get her so please don't try to make out that I don't "people have taken the time" I KNOW they have taken the time and thank them endlessy .... you are I think being a little harsh if you don't mind me saying so .... I meant nothing bad towards anybody - I am not like that at all .....

I have read all the information I think - all the remarks - I may have missed one if what you are saying is true .....

I started this thread for Smiffy ....
 
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Tuxedo Mom said:
Looby

I am sure you don't mean to be snarky, especially with Elizabeth and all the extra time and help she has given you, but I just felt I had to say that the way your comment is worded is made me :eek::eek: :eek: :eek: when I read it, The written word can very often come across as much harsher than we actually mean it.
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I would never mean it anything badly ... Oh dear and I am having trouble keeping up with the messages ....... I appreciate SO MUCH everybody's remarks .. all I think I said was that I had ordered the needles and was now ready to get back to getting the thread back to Smiffy's numbers and I think I said that I would start a new thread about the needles once they arrived ..... that's OK isn't it?
 
Looby & Smiify said:
I didn't mean anything badly - what have I said .... please read my full reply to Elizabeth ...
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I have read it, in the original version where you told Elizabeth to "get over it". As Mary Ann says, you have to be careful what you say in writing. I also doubt very much if Elizabeth wanted to have the last word. She is a close personal friend of mine and I know that she simply isn't like that.
 
I was really surprised to read Elizabeth's remarks to me ... if you all look back I was taking in all the advice and suggestions about using syringes and then it came to an end so I said I wanted to go back to messaging about Smiffy's readings and go back to the topic of syringes once I had got them delivered ..... I can't see why Elizabeth and to remark about that other than accept my wishes ....... I even suggested that I post a separate thread about needles once I had got them in the post for my benefit and the benefit of others ....
 
Looby & Smiify said:
I would never mean it anything badly ... Oh dear and I am having trouble keeping up with the messages ....... I appreciate SO MUCH everybody's remarks .. all I think I said was that I had ordered the needles and was now ready to get back to getting the thread back to Smiffy's numbers and I think I said that I would start a new thread about the needles once they arrived ..... that's OK isn't it?
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A better approach IMHO might have been to say "Thanks for all the information about the needles and the time everyone took to get me the information. I will talk about it more once the syringes arrive. Right now I am concerned about Smiffy's numbers and would appreciate some advice on what is happening" Unfortunately your comments like "I made an iddle widdle mistake it seems that is of really no real consequence and answered your remark but you want to have the last word" and "you are I think being a little harsh if you don't mind me saying so" do come across as rather harsh and a personal attack. Sometimes threads will ramble on since people find more information that could be useful and might not find it again later.

I know when a person is tired and stressed they sometimes will snap at others. I have had 8 hours sleep in the last 48 hours and am dealing with temperatures around 40C with the humidex, so I truly understand how these things can affect a person. But there is always a nicer way to phrase things...just saying. :bighug:
 
Diana&Tom said:
I have read it, in the original version where you told Elizabeth to "get over it". As Mary Ann says, you have to be careful what you say in writing. I also doubt very much if Elizabeth wanted to have the last word. She is a close personal friend of mine and I know that she simply isn't like that.
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I edited that out as soon as I wrote it (:!!! ... that was my sense of humour and then realised it mght not come across that way ....... this thread is about Smiffy and then we hit on the subject of syringes - not about whether I did or didn't say I wanted to move back to Smiffy's reading before or after I had said more about syringes ... I didn't think it was worth making a point of in the grand scheme of things and I was taken aback so I answered back and thought I had sorted out the misunderstanding only to come back to another remark about it giving me quoted proof of my mistake or misunderstandiing ...... I sometimes miss messages here as I have tried to explain ... I am actully too tired to argue this point as I think it is do pedantic ..... I really appreciate all the help I get here and I don't like the insinuation that I in some way don't appreciate the time taken ...... I am not a nasty person - quite the opposite ......
 
Tuxedo Mom said:
A better approach IMHO might have been to say "Thanks for all the information about the needles and the time everyone took to get me the information. I will talk about it more once the syringes arrive. Right now I am concerned about Smiffy's numbers and would appreciate some advice on what is happening" Unfortunately your comments like "I made an iddle widdle mistake it seems that is of really no real consequence and answered your remark but you want to have the last word" and "you are I think being a little harsh if you don't mind me saying so" do come across as rather harsh and a personal attack. Sometimes threads will ramble on since people find more information that could be useful and might not find it again later.

I know when a person is tired and stressed they sometimes will snap at others. I have had 8 hours sleep in the last 48 hours and am dealing with temperatures around 40C with the humidex, so I truly understand how these things can affect a person. But there is always a nicer way to phrase things...just saying. :bighug:
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I am so sorry if I didn't expand my request to leave the syringes topic and get back to Smiffy's numbers .... I thought I was able to paraphrase as I was mainly talking with @Alexi and @MrWorfMen's Mom and we have got to the stage where we type as we speak ..... I am not giving out a personal attack ..... I was surprised that Elizabeth would pick me up on something of such little consequence - I answered it - and then she came back at me with 'proof' .... I love @Elizabeth and Bertie and all her wisdom but felt this was a bit too much ...... so there we have it .... I am going to start a new thread and start over ... perhpas everybody is getting a bit too hot under the collar! I am actually shaking now with anxiety over all this and am very very upset ...
 
Tuxedo Mom said:
A better approach IMHO might have been to say "Thanks for all the information about the needles and the time everyone took to get me the information. I will talk about it more once the syringes arrive. Right now I am concerned about Smiffy's numbers and would appreciate some advice on what is happening" Unfortunately your comments like "I made an iddle widdle mistake it seems that is of really no real consequence and answered your remark but you want to have the last word" and "you are I think being a little harsh if you don't mind me saying so" do come across as rather harsh and a personal attack. Sometimes threads will ramble on since people find more information that could be useful and might not find it again later.

I know when a person is tired and stressed they sometimes will snap at others. I have had 8 hours sleep in the last 48 hours and am dealing with temperatures around 40C with the humidex, so I truly understand how these things can affect a person. But there is always a nicer way to phrase things...just saying. :bighug:
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What is IMHO?
 
Also the fact that someone was able to find Caninsulin syringes with 1/2 unit markings is very good information for anyone else who is using Caninsulin. Part of the intent of having FDMB is so that information is available for anyone who comes onto the site and reads other people's posts. That is how they learn and information is shared.
 
Tuxedo Mom said:
Also the fact that someone was able to find Caninsulin syringes with 1/2 unit markings is very good information for anyone else who is using Caninsulin. Part of the intent of having FDMB is so that information is available for anyone who comes onto the site and reads other people's posts. That is how they learn and information is shared.
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I KNOW and we discussed the syringes at lenght and then it got to the stage where I said I would order them and start a new thread about them once they arrived for my and everybody else's benefit but in the meantime this thread is about Smiffy's trip to the vet and her reading since ..... this is geting out of hand now .... not once did I suggest that it was not important information for other people but IMHO it would be better expanded in a seperate thread!
 
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